WarnerMedia Readies To Stream With New Boss

In a massive but expected high-level executive shake-up, AT&T has put seasoned TV exec Bob Greenblatt in place as chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct to Consumer.

He’s effectively the new boss who will spearhead WarnerMedia’s charge into the global streaming arena along with running HBO, TNT, TBS and truTV. Greenblatt just ended a seven-year run as chairman of NBCUniversal and in his time helped build the Fox network in its infancy and turn Showtime into a premium cable power.

His appointment comes as HBO boss Richard Plepler has left the company after nearly three decades in the job, one that saw him play a big part in the creation of the ‘Golden Age of Television’. Turner President David Levy has also left and that company is undergoing a reorganisation which will include Cartoon Network moving to Warners.

Greenblatt spoke with Variety today about the new job and says the main aim is to bring all of Warners’ disparate arms and key assets – Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO, Turner Movie Library, TNT, etc. – together under one roof with the new streaming service on a “robust platform” with “great value to the consumer”.

He says HBO is central to the whole service, which will have a tiered structure, but it’s too early to talk specifics. They still hope to meet their launch target of having the streaming platform in beta form by year’s end.